The proposed conference, "Building Bridges IV: Improving the Public's Health Through Research Partnerships," will continue the dialogue which began in 1995 with the first Building Bridges conference. 1998 marks the fourth year of this collaboration between the American Association of Health plans (AAHP) and the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR). This year's meeting is being held concurrently with the annual meeting of the HMO Research Network (the Network), which has also been partially funded by the AHCPR in the past. The Network is an active partner in planning the Building Bridges Conference this year. There are several objectives in developing this conference. The first is to publicize high-quality health services research focused on the managed care industry. The second is to facilitate discussion about the translation of that research into policy and action. The third objective is to create opportunities for collaborative activities between health plans, academia, government, and research funders. As the managed care industry continues to expand and provide care for larger proportions of population, including vulnerable individuals (such as Medicare and Medicaid populations), collaborative research in managed care populations become increasingly important for understanding, maintaining and improving the public's health.